Primarily, it's about issues

April 2, 2013 - Rob Weaver

With Tiffin and Fostoria now conducting nonpartisan primaries, the May 7 election has become an issues-oriented ballot.

Absentee voting begins today for the May “special election” (as it is called in Seneca County). Absentee ballots can be cast in person at the Board of Elections office, 71 S. Washington St., Tiffin, or by mail.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State's office, 74 counties will conduct elections that conclude May 7. Of those counties, 32 have primary and special elections, 40 have special elections only and three counties have primaries only.

There are 355 local issues on the ballot in 67 of those counties, of which 116 are school issues.

All races for municipal seats in the May primary are uncontested, leaving only issues to be decided. Under open primary rules, there must be more than two candidates seeking a seat for it to be contested. Then, the top two vote-getters move to the general election.

Thus, in Tiffin, voters will have to wait until the general election to pick between Mark Pardi and 4th Ward Councilman Rich Cline, who are running for Tiffin City Council president, and among Steven Lepard, Jim Green, Samuel Vollmar, Mark Hayes and Tyler Shuff to fill three at-large council seats. Hayes and Shuff are incumbents.

Voters in Fostoria, Bettsville, Bellevue and Clyde-Green Springs will decide ballot issues, while those in Attica will determine the fate of levies for police protection and parks & recreation.